Importance

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Abstract

A vehicle having a fluid-powered rotary dipper stick assembly including a boom attachment head and a bucket attachment head with an outer body extending therebetween. A shaft extends longitudinally within the outer body. An inner body is disposed within the outer body immediately inward of the outer body to provide support thereto. In one embodiment, the inner body is rigidly attached to the shaft for rotation as a unit relative to the outer body. In another embodiment, the outer body and the shaft are rigidly attached together for rotation as a unit relative to the inner body. A linear-to-rotary transmission mechanism including a piston sleeve is disposed within the inner and outer bodies and is operable to produce rotational movement of the shaft relative to whichever of the outer or inner bodies is not connected to the shaft. The piston sleeve is operated by the application of pressurized fluid to produce linear movement of the piston sleeve which is translated into rotational movement of the outer body or the shaft, depending on which is connected to the bucket attachment head, and provides rotation of a bucket attached thereto about the body longitudinal axis independent of the boom attachment head.

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First Claim